In recent years vehicle hood designs have been improved to reduce damages incurred during a pedestrian collision. This is partly due to regulations which have come into effect in Japan and Europe that place a limit on the severity of pedestrian head injury when struck by a motor vehicle. Among these improved vehicle hood designs, some solutions utilize controlled deformation of the sheet metal of the vehicle hood, to form a force absorbing surface during a collision with a pedestrian. Some solutions utilize an airbag developed in an area between an upper edge of the hood and the windscreen of the vehicle, to protect the head of the pedestrian from damages. Such a pedestrian airbag may, in a deployed state, at least partly cover the windscreen and/or the A-pillars of the vehicle. Some solutions utilize spring force actuators or pyrotechnic actuators to raise a rear portion of the vehicle hood to a raised position. Such solutions can reduce damages incurred during a pedestrian collision by reducing the likelihood of the pedestrians head hitting the windshield and by increasing a distance between the hood and hard engine parts in the engine compartment of the vehicle. Some solutions utilize a combination of the above mentioned solutions.
However, all the above mentioned solutions involve some movement of the hood, either before, or during an impact with a pedestrian. Therefore, care must be taken when designing the fittings of the hood. In a closed position, a modern vehicle hood is usually attached to the host vehicle by two hinges each being arranged at an edge of the hood facing the windshield and by a hood latch assembly, arranged on an opposite leading edge of the hood essentially facing in an intended direction of travel. Thus, in view of the above mentioned, there is a need for a hood latch assembly allowing movement of a vehicle hood in relation to the vehicle.